Flying while daddy
I'm a frequent and solo flier without the privilege of pre-boarding as a business class passenger. So, I give a hand to the mom flying without the hubby while struggling to board with multiple kids. Win win—she is happy, she is impressed that chivalry is not dead and I get to pre-board as part of 'families with children'.
Guys, this is a great way to show your sensitive, caring side. Just make sure the kid of the stranger doesn't call you 'daddy'…
This time I'm the struggling parent. I'm flying from Dhaka to Los Angeles with just my five- and 12-year-old daughters. I smilingly give our three passports to the airline attendant at Dhaka Airport during check-in. Not only does he not smile (I guess he's doing us some kind of a favour), but I am shocked at being greeted with a rude "Please hurry up! You're holding up the line!!"
Reality check…TIB—This Is Bangladesh where especially men seem to be unaware that travelling with little kids is like handling a lorry. I'm inclined to raise hell, but I decide not to spoil the start of a unique father-daughter-daughter trip with bad energy. So I respond the American way—polite, assertive but so loud as to even wake up sleeping residents in Farmgate.
I address him with an emphatic "Sir!" I always confer the Queen's Knighthood on the spot on a summary basis to whom I intend to summarily execute Don Corleone style. I add: "With three carry-on bags, three suitcases and two little kids as you see here, I'm doing the best I can."
The airline employee is embarrassed as he is reminded that even if it's a tiny fraction, the revenue from the three tickets I bought contributes to his paycheques. But I am loud enough so as to attract the attention of his superiors and the wrath of other fellow passengers at the shocking act of inconsideration. Maybe the word went out because when we eventually settle down in the aircraft, the chief purser comes to me with a flight attendant, introduces me to her and says that she is available anytime for any assistance given that I'm travelling alone with two little children. Not to mention being showered with extra food and kids' goodies.
We are pampered to the fullest. And the hub airport in the Middle East during our connection to Los Angeles is fully equipped with every amenity for travellers with children, including complementary strollers. And the excellent service continues all the way to our returning to Dhaka a month later. If the airline has compensated for its sole act of bad service by an employee who surely needs to sweat about his next performance review, I have to say that it has done a damned fine job.
But the honeymoon period is over as soon as we're off the plane upon returning to Dhaka. The baggage conveyor belt, despite only one flight in at that hour, disgorges the bags a full 90 minutes later. Perhaps the bags came from the hub city in the Middle East on camel's back.
The passengers are tired and edgy, while crowding next to the conveyor belt eagerly waiting for their bags. The only entertainment is to watch all the bags marching while being wrapped like mummies with unique (colourful) paraphernalia to help them being identified by their rightful owners.
Apparently one person is not too keen on this free entertainment. The lady next to me is ticked off at my five-year-old, "Why are you kids crowding this place? Go stand over there!!" Again, my US style response—polite, assertive but loud enough to give the meek a heart attack: "She is my daughter and she needs to be with daddy. I really can't leave her there [at a distance] on her own."
The lady is further agitated: "Why don't you leave her with her mother?"
"I will, once we go home. Right now, she [mom] is not travelling with us…"
And I had to rub this in: "These days some dads also DO play the roles of moms."
Oh, what I will not do to anyone (the kosher way) who hurts my little daughter's feelings. The lady is mortified as a hundred pairs of tut-tut-ing eyes give her dirty looks. She is sorry and genuinely so: "Oh! I'm so sorry."
TIB: Reverse sexism.
But I still have to say—have kids, will travel. There is never a dull moment when flying while daddy…
Naveed Mahbub is an engineer at Ford & Qualcomm USA and CEO of IBM & Nokia Siemens Networks Bangladesh turned comedian (by choice), the host of ATN Bangla's The Naveed Mahbub Show and ABC Radio's Good Morning Bangladesh, the founder of Naveed's Comedy Club.
E-mail: Naveed@NaveedMahbub.com
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